How to Make Your Centralized Exchange Stand Out With Staking as a Core Feature?

Introduction

Centralized exchanges continue to dominate the cryptocurrency space, not just in terms of trading volume, but also in terms of user preference. They’ve held the market like a pillar, weathering cycles and anchoring liquidity. Beyond the typical bull-market hype, it’s regulation, institutional entry, and technological upgrades that have kept CEXs ahead. But there’s another reason they’re staying relevant: they’re borrowing from DeFi.

Staking is one of the most impactful DeFi-inspired features making its way into centralized platforms and catching on fast. In May 2025, centralized exchanges handled anywhere between 60% to 93% of daily global crypto trading volume. All major CEXs, including Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, OKX, etc., now offer staking rewards to their customers. Coinbase, a leading CEX, even said that 67% of its monthly active users engaged with non-investing products, including staking. 

Therefore, staking is no longer a competitive edge but an essential part of centralized exchange development as it boosts user engagement and creates additional revenue streams for users and exchanges. Let’s shed some light on why launching a centralized exchange with Staking is the most ROI-positive move you can make in 2025.

Why Launch a Centralized Exchange with Staking?

• Higher User Retention: Staking offers your users a way to earn passive income on their crypto without leaving your platform. It locks their funds on your platform, keeping them engaged for longer, enhancing loyalty and lifetime value for your centralized crypto exchange development.
• New Revenue Channels: By integrating additional modules like staking, margin trading, or derivatives, exchanges earn beyond the trading fees. The new diversified revenue stream introduces commissions on staking rewards, income from staking product listing, withdrawal, etc, boosting the platform’s overall productivity. 
• Increased Asset Liquidity: When users stake coins on your exchange, these assets keep circulating within your ecosystem instead of being withdrawn elsewhere. This boosts overall liquidity on your exchange, benefiting your order books and reducing volatility. The smoother trading experience also draws in more traders. 
• Competitive Advantage: Staking gives your centralized exchange development a feature that crypto investors actively see. As mentioned above, all the leading exchanges, KuCoin, OKX, Huobi, Bitfinex, etc., offer staking options with annual yields ranging from ~2% to as high as 40% on certain tokens. New platforms must match these offerings to meet market expectations and attract users looking to grow their assets.
• Growing Market Demand: The popularity of staking is soaring alongside the rise of proof-of-stake cryptocurrencies. In Dec 2024, the TVL in liquid staking transcended the $70 billion threshold. By integrating staking into centralized cryptocurrency exchange development, your exchange captures a share of this booming sector and appeals to millions of users who want to earn yield on their holdings.

Insights from Industry Leaders

“Staking is a core part of the future of crypto. It rewards users while securing the network. Exchanges that offer staking will lead” 

– Brian Armstrong, Coinbase CEO

As the head of a major exchange, Armstrong emphasizes how staking empowers users and strengthens networks. This underlines why integrating staking services can be so valuable: it not only benefits users (through rewards) but also contributes to the health and security of the blockchain ecosystems your exchange supports.

Key Features for a Successful Centralized Exchange Platform

1. Bank-Grade Security

From the 105M CoinBene hack to Bybit’s 1.4B hack, security has been compromised on centralized exchanges, and consequences have always been severe. Customers need to trust that their assets are safe on your exchange. Therefore, security is a fundamental feature for your centralized crypto exchange development success. 

• Multi-factor authentication
• Multisig, cold wallets
• End-to-end encryption
• Penetration-tested smart contracts
• DDoS Protection
• Withdrawal Whitelists
• AI-powered Real-time threat detection

2. Performance

CEXs typically offer greater scalability and liquidity than DEXs. A well-built CEX can execute large trade volumes even during peak market activity, making it a strong contender in the market, attracting high-frequency traders and institutional players seeking speed and deep order books. Partnering with an experienced centralized cryptocurrency exchange development company can help ensure your matching engine and infrastructure are up to the mark. 

• 10,000+ TPS engine, No Downtime
• Millisecond latency
• 24/7 uptime architecture

3. User-Friendly Interface

A clean and intuitive user interface (on web and mobile) is essential for engaging both beginners and veteran traders. During your centralized exchange development, you must remember that for many new users, your CEX will be their first point of contact with crypto trading.

• Mobile-optimized dashboard
• Web and mobile responsive design
• Simplified On-boarding 
• Staking rewards calculator
• Easy navigation
• Educational popups/tooltips

4. Asset Management

A success-oriented centralized crypto exchange development must offer a diverse range of trading pairs popular cryptocurrencies (BTC, ETH, etc.), altcoins, stablecoins, and possibly fiat pairs to attract a broader user base. To support and facilitate the trading of these assets, centralized trading platforms must also plan sufficient liquidity modules and work with market makers so spread remains tight, no matter what. 

• Multi-wallet support
• Advanced charting tools
• Multiple order types
• Real-time balances
• Segregated staking + trading balances

5. Fiat Integration: 

Lower the barrier to entry by supporting fiat currencies. This allows (non-crypto holding) users in your target regions (US, UAE, UK, or some other) to easily deposit and withdraw in local currency. 

• Payment gateways or banking APIs for fiat on/off ramps. (USD, EUR, AED, GBP, etc.) 
• Compliance with local banking and KYC regulations

6. Strong Customer Support: 

The more readily you resolve customers’ issues, more are the chances for centralized exchange development success. Offering round-the-clock support in a trading market that never sleeps can differentiate your centralized exchange in a crowded field. 

• Offer 24/7 customer support channels (live chat, email, maybe even phone) 
• Maintain an up-to-date help center or FAQ
• Community forum and social media presence 

7. Regulatory Compliance

As the crypto regulatory environment evolves, it is no longer optional. Staying law-relevant is an essential part of your survival kit, and you must therefore implement and attain the following:

• KYC and AML modules as per the requirements of the jurisdictions you operate in
• Licenses of required countries

Being proactive about compliance can also become a selling point, attracting institutional clients who insist on regulated venues.

Centralized Exchange Development: Staking Module Features

• Token staking dashboard
  
• Auto-compounding options
  
• Lock-up period configurations
  
• Flexible vs fixed staking plans
  
• Real-time rewards calculator
  
• Unstaking/withdrawal management
  
• Slashing protection alerts
  
• Validator selection (if applicable)
  
• Tiered APY structures
  
• Token-specific staking pools
  
• Re-staking automation
  
• Reward distribution engine
  
• Staking history & analytics
  
• Multi-token staking support
  
• KYC-integrated staking access
  
• Reward claim scheduling
  
• Mobile staking interface
  
• Admin panel for managing pools
  
• Backend wallet integration
  
• Notifications & alerts system

Regulatory Requirements For CEX-Friendly Countries

Certain regions are experiencing especially rapid crypto growth, presenting prime opportunities for new centralized exchanges. 

1. UAE:

With 25.4% ownership rates and a 42% year-on-year increase in cryptocurrency transaction volume, the UAE is leading as a hub for centralized exchange development. Thanks to a crypto-friendly regulatory environment, strong government support, and risk-loving residents. 

Regulatory Requirements for UAE

• VARA or ADGM licenses
• AED on-ramp integration
• Local liquidity providers

2. US and UK

The US crypto adoption observed a 220% growth in 2025. Similarly, the United Kingdom is crafting clearer crypto regulations, which should encourage more mainstream participation in the coming years. 

Regulatory Requirements for the United States

• Comply with FinCEN, SEC
• Custody via licensed partners
• Fiat support (USD)

Regulatory Requirements for the United Kingdom

• FCA-registered KYC/AML vendors
• GBP gateway support
• GDPR + MiCA readiness

What to Look for in a Centralized Cryptocurrency Exchange Development Company

• Proven Experience: Successful CEX and staking launches across geographies
• End-to-End Delivery: Matching engine, wallets, staking – all in-house
• Regulatory Know-How: Built to comply with ADGM, FCA, and FinCEN rules
• Post-Launch Support: Ongoing upgrades, token integrations, security patches
• Security-First: Audits, threat detection, and secure architecture by default
• Scalable Stack: Cloud-native, modular, and ready to scale
• Custom White-Label: Pre-built modules with full customization options
• Staking Expertise: Reward logic, lockups, validator controls, multi-token support
• Multi-Chain Ready: EVM + non-EVM chain support for assets and staking
• Clean UI/UX: Mobile-first design with branded frontend flexibility
• Admin Tools: Dashboards for tracking staking performance and users

Conclusion

A staking-enabled CEX positions you to attract users, earn trust, and drive serious revenue. Entering the world of centralized crypto exchange development with a staking module can therefore be a game-changer. 

Combining CEX liquidity with DeFi-style staking creates a powerful platform that appeals to a broad user base. With the right features, security, speed, UX, and staking incentives, and the right centralized cryptocurrency exchange development company, your exchange is all set to win.

Ready to launch a full-featured CEX with staking?

Antier offers turnkey centralized crypto exchange development with built-in staking modules.

• White label centralized exchange
• 100+ successful deployments
• US/UAE/UK ready
• Mobile-first experience